Sun Care

At Brookdale Day Nursery we are committed to ensuring that
all children are fully protected from the dangers of too much sun/UV rays.
Severe sunburn in childhood can lead to the development of malignant melanoma
(the most dangerous type of skin cancer) in later life.

We use the following procedures to keep children safe and
healthy in the sun:

Key persons will work with
the parents of their key children to decide and agree on suitable
precautions to protect children from burning, including those with more
sensitive skin types and those that may be more tolerant to the sunshine,
e.g. black and/or Asian colouring

Children must have a
clearly labelled sun hat which will be worn at all times whilst outside in
sunny weather. This hat will preferably be of legionnaires design (i.e.
with an extended back and side to shield children’s neck and ears from the
sun) to provide additional protection

Children must have their
own labelled high factor sun cream with prior written consent for staff to
apply. This enables children to have sun cream suitable for their own
individual needs. Staff must be aware of the expiry date and discard
sunscreen after this date

Parents are requested to
supply light-weight cotton clothing for their children suitable for the
sun, with long sleeves and long legs

Children’s safety and
welfare in hot weather is the nursery’s prime objective so staff will work
closely with parents to ensure all appropriate cream and clothing is
provided

Staff will make day-to-day
decisions about the length of time spent outside depending on the strength
of the sun; children will not be allowed in the direct sunlight between
11.00am – 3.00pm on hot days

Children will always have
sun cream applied before going outside in the hot weather and at frequent
intervals during the day

Children are encouraged to
drink cooled water more frequently throughout sunny or warm days and this
will be accessible both indoors and out

Children are made aware of
the need for sun hats, sun cream and the need to drink more fluids during
their time in the sun

Shade will be provided to
ensure children are able to still go out in hot weather, cool down or
escape the sun should they wish or need to.